A Tale of Two Dots
by mrscakeakajane
Summary: One night, while watching the map. Harry see's two dots bearing the name S. Snape and goes to investigate. What he finds will be a surprise for them all.


**A/N This story was writen for the 2011 Snarryathon, **

**please leave me a review and let me know what you think, if you can pick out bits you like or hate i'd be greatfull, **

A Tale of Two dots

Harry lay in the darkness of the tent listening to the others sleep. The sand man, it seemed was not planning to pay Harry a visit tonight. So once again, Harry had the Marauders map open in his lap, watching the dots - people, making sure everyone was where they were meant to be.

Not for the first time Harry's eye was drawn down to the dungeons. He soon found S. Snape in his office, why he still used his old office more than the headmaster's office was anyone's guess. Presently the man stood and the dot with his name attached moved though what the map showed to be a secret door.

It must have been the entrance to the man's private quarters. As the map showed bedrooms and a kitchen among other rooms. Suddenly without warning, another dot came rushing towards the first. What had Harry startled was the fact they were both, labelled S. Snape.

"Well that can't be right," Harry whispered, not wanting to wake Ron and Hermione, who were cuddled up on the double bed. Making a snap decision, Harry wandlessly summoned his invisibility cloak and wrapping it around himself, Harry walked out of the tent.

It still amazed Harry that the inside of a tent resembled a small flat, complete with front door, while the outside looked like a flimsy two man tent. The flimsy, fabric triangle propped up with shaky looking poles, once you stepped though the (heavily warded) flaps, however, you were faced with a wooden door, which also happened to be heavily warded.

Harry closed his eyes and hoped he didn't send the tent toppling over as he apperated to just outside the castle wards, knowing they were probably keyed to notice him.

Using a handy spell Hermione had found in an obscure book Harry masked his magic and hid it from all but the most direct detection spells, and even those would only work if Harry himself allowed it.

Harry made sure he was completely covered by his invisibility cloak and quickly made his way across the school grounds; thankfully, it wasn't snowing so his tracks were nonexistent. Living on the run for so many months had fine-tuned the stealth skills that he had learned during his time with the Dursley's and perfected at Hogwarts.

Entering the castle through one of the abandoned passages where he was sure he wasn't going to get caught, Harry checked the map again. One S. Snape was in the staff room with what looked like the rest of the faculty. There were no students wandering the halls, unsurprising considering what the consequences would be if they were caught.

Harry took a few minutes to find the second S. Snape, who was wandering in a deep part of the dungeons, and headed off to find that Snape and work out what the hell was going on.

When the map showed Snape was around the next corner Harry pocketed the map and melded himself to the wall so he wasn't spotted.  
>The last thing Harry expected to see was a child sitting on the floor sobbing. The Gryffindor in Harry couldn't leave a child in distress like that, so he removed the cloak and walked over to sit in front of the little boy.<p>

"Are you okay?"

"I've run away," the child told him through is sobs.

"Ah," Harry nodded sagely, "that's why you're down here."

"Uh huh," the boy agreed. "Did you runned away too?" he asked, looking up for the first time.

"Sort of, I guess." Harry told him.

"I'm Sevie, who's you?" Sevie asked pushing the hair out of his eyes.

"I'm Harry. Why did you run away Sevie?" Harry asked, his mind was racing coming up with all sorts of possibilities as to who the child was, each more unrealistic as the next.

"Cos my papa's mean."

Finally, Harry worked it out, "Is he?" He asked in mock astonishment. "Did he... Make you eat sprouts?" Harry inquired.

Sevie giggled.

"No? Okay, um, did he make you stand on one leg and pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time?" Harry questioned seriously.

"You're silly. He won't play with me, he never plays with me." The child said sadly look into Harry's eyes for a glimmer of understanding, "he don't love me."

"He doesn't?" Harry asked, "you sure about that?"

Sevie just nodded.

"So he doesn't make you breakfast, or lunch and dinner?"

"Course he does," Sevie told him crossly.

"How old are you Sevie?"

"I'm five," Sevie told him holding up his fingers.

"Five huh, so he's not making you get a job then. Tell you what, if your papa makes sure you're not hungry, that you're warm, that you have toys to play with, it sounds like he loves you."

"But why won't he play with me?" Sevie whined.

"Maybe he doesn't know how, us old people don't get to play much."

Sevie's mouth made an 'O' of understanding.

"Does he do anything with you?" Harry asked, knowing the answer would be yes.

"He takes me to his lab, shows me all his cool jars, he's got frogs and eyeballs." Sevie grinned.

"Wow, very cool," Harry agreed. "I'll tell you a secret, I know for a fact that your Papa never lets anyone into his lab. Especially to teach them."

"Really?" Sevie asked, impossibly large eyes widening in disbelief.

"Really," Harry confirmed. "You see, brewing potions is very important to your Papa, it's one of his favourite things to do. He won't let people in there, in case they mess it up." Harry explained.

"So why let me in?"

"Because your special to him, and he wants you to love brewing as much as he does."

"He reads me too."

"Reads you?"

"Uh huh, he's tellin me story's about Peter Susan Edmond and Lucy. They don't believe Lucy when she tells them about Mr Tumness, an' Edmond is a nasty rotten fibber."

Harry grinned. "See he's already got you loving books as much as him. One day I'm sure you're going to grow up just like your papa. Brave and cleaver, you're already just as hansom."

"You think my papa's hansom?" Sevie asked innocently.

"Yes, he's very hansom."

"Papa says I look like him, but I have my father's temper. What's temper?"

"Temper is how quick you get cross," Harry explained, while trying to processing the father comment.

"Oh, I don't get cross lots, my Nana said I was a good boy."

"I am sure you are. Are you ready to go back to your Papa now?" Harry asked standing and offering a hand to Sevie.

Sevie started to tear up again, "I don't know the way, I never beened out of our rooms, Papa says I gots to hide from the bad people till someone called Potterbrat saves us."

Harry laughed softly, "Don't worry I know the way."

Sevie got up, but put his arms up for Harry to carry him. Harry easily picked the tired child up and rested him on one hip.

Sevie put his head down on Harry's shoulder and yawned. "Harry, can you marry my Papa, then we could teach him to play together."

Harry grinned and placed a kiss to the top of Sevie's head. "I'll make you a promise. If your Papa ever asks me, and means it because he loves me, I'll say yes," Harry vowed.

"M'k, you can be my Daddy."

Harry set off to Snape's private quarters, not noticing a shadow detach it's self from the wall and follow silently. The wards on Snape's rooms allowed them entrance, recognizing the young man of the house.

With a final kiss and a soft goodnight, Harry tucked Sevie back into bed and moved to leave the castle, but stepping out of the bedroom he encountered Severus Snape leaning against the door.

"Thank you for taking care of my son," Snape said without preamble.

"You're welcome, he's a good kid."

"Yes, he is."

"How long were you following us?" Harry asked, knowing Snape hadn't just come in.

"I got there not long after you did, I felt the wards shift when Sevie left our rooms, as soon as I could get away without causing suspicion," Snape told him, still leaning on the door.

"He's asleep. He's a cute kid."

"Nothing like me you mean." Snape smirked.

Harry flushed, "I didn't say that."

"No, you didn't. Do you have time to sit a while? You won't be found here," Snape gestured to the sofa.

"I can stay a bit longer; the others don't know I'm gone yet."

"Oh? How do you know, Miss Granger could be mad with worry by now." Snape asked as they settled.

"The first thing Mrs Weasley, would do is use the coins to see if I'm okay." Harry emphasized the name heavily.

"Mrs Weasley? When did that happen?" Snape asked shocked.

"At Christmas, we went to a Muggle registrar's office; I was best man and witness." Harry smiled in remembrance, "It was quick and simple ceremony, but they are happy."

"That must get awkward in a tent with a newlywed couple," Snape commented.

"They have the bedroom and I sleep on the sofa. Miony is exceptionally good with silencing charms," Harry smirked at Snape's slight flush.

"How is your hunt going?"

"I figured you knew about that. We found Slytherin's locket, we'll be retrieving it tomorrow and we know where the next on is too, it's a cup belonging to Helga Hufflepuff. We think Tom used something belonging to all the founders," Harry explained.

Snape nodded, "When you get them, destroy them immediately, if they have a part of The Dark Lord's soul in them, they will be poison, and will bring out every dark thought and feeling. Do you have any leads on the remaining ones?"

"How can we destroy them?" Harry asked, "And we do have a few ideas, there must be something of Ravenclaw's that he got hold of, and we think Nagini might be one, they seem to be inseparable."

"I will get the sword of Gryffindor to you, that will work, it did on the ring Albus found. I heard rumours when I was a student," Snape ignored the cough that sounded distinctly like, 'that long ago,' "a rumour that, Lady Ravenclaw had a diadem, she wore it all the time, it is said to be somewhere in the castle, although I don't know where."

"The Room of Requirement," Harry exclaimed. "That's where all lost things go in the castle."

"I will search for it, as for Nagini, leave her to me, I will take great pleasure in killing her," Snape said that with venom that Harry raised an eyebrow in question.

"That thing killed Sevie's father. It was not long after I found I was expecting, the Dark Lord set him a task, which was not filled to his standards. He ordered Nagini to kill him. She ate him."

Harry felt sick, he knew that animals were generally still alive when a snake started to digest it. Snape seemed to read his mind, "Mark had a potion on his person, one I made, he kept it in case he ever needed a last resort, where this was the only option. It killed him instantly, he felt no pain. But it will still give me... closure."

Harry nodded in understanding, "how painful will you make it? From what I understand whenever we destroy one, he feels at least some modicum of pain."

Snape smirked evilly, "Then I shall endeavour to make it as painful as possible."

"Good, I like snakes in general, but that one freaks me out. I should probably go," Harry said slightly regretfully.

"Probably, I know how to contact you, I will do so when I have the diadem and bring the sword to you, so you can destroy them all. By that time, Nagini will be dead. I swear it to you," Snape said formally.

"I know, I trust you. We'll have the other two by Saturday."

"I will contact you soon after."

Harry stood to leave, wrapping the cloak around his body leaving only his head visible, "I'll keep an eye on Sevie with the map, I'll see you soon."

Harry got back to the tent undetected, by friend and foe alike. The raid on the ministry went smoothly; Hermione could not stop grinning when she'd pushed Umbridge over, her ankle making a sickening snapping sound.

The raid on Gringotts wasn't so much of a trade as a well-organised withdrawal. Harry had spoken to Griphook and some leaders of the goblin clan beforehand. They agreed that in return for Harry's support after the war to gain equal rights in the community, they would give him the cup, as it was stolen property. There was nothing a Goblin hated more than a thief.

On Sunday Ron and Hermione were cuddled on the sofa, talking about all the things they planned on doing after the war, while Harry read quietly, trying to give them as much privacy as possible in the cramped tent.

There was a knock on the wooden frame of the door.

Ron and Hermione jumped to their feet wands in hand. Harry got up too, but he was a little slower, knowing exactly who it was at the door since he'd adjusted the wards when he'd returned a week ago to allow both Severus Snape's entry.

Harry found himself knocked onto his back with an armful of Sevie.

"Hi Harry, I missed you, I had papa tell me stories about you! Did you really fight a dragon, and swim in the black lake, and fly a car and...?"

"Sevie, let the man answer one question before you ask another," Snape said closing the door behind him.

"Sowy Papa," Sevie said looking back at his papa smiling. "Well did you? That was only one question wasn't it Papa?"

Snape rolled his eyes, "Yes son, it was." Snape took in the sight of Ron and Hermione who were standing there giving a good impression of guppy fish, "Good evening Mr and Mrs Weasley."

"Good evening Professor," they chorused dumbly.

Harry picked himself up and pulled Sevie up off the floor, "How have you been?" He asked both Snape's.

"I've been teaching Papa to play," Sevie told him seriously.

"Good boy, I bet you're a great teacher, it's probably a family trait," Harry winked at the elder Snape teasingly.

"Papa say's when I'm older I can have a broom, but he's never going on 'that infernal contraption,'" Sevie reproduced Snape's voice perfectly causing Harry to laugh loudly, breaking the spell that seemed to be over his companions.

"What the F..." Ron could get no further because Harry had cast a quick i_Silencio_/i to stop the swear word from passing his lips.

"No bad words in front of Sevie," Harry scolded. "Sit down and it will get explained," he ordered with a mil glare.

When they were all sitting comfortably Harry explained about how he'd found two S. Snape's on the map and gone to investigate; only a glare from Snape stopped the other two from shouting at him for his stupidity.

"I have completed the tasks you set me," Snape said drawing the sword of Gryffindor from a pocket and re-sizing it. I also have a potion to remove the fragment Tom left without destroying the artefact, but I thought it prudent to bring the sword as well."

"Thank you," Harry said sincerely. "Sevie," Harry called, Sevie was colouring on the floor while his papa and almost-daddy talked, "Would you mind going into the bedroom to draw?" Harry pointed at the bedroom door.

"Okay," The child said happily getting up, "I'm drawing a picture of you and papa and my baby brothers and sisters." Sevie told the group.

"How many brothers and sisters do you have?" Hermione asked nicely.

"None yet, but when Papa and Daddy-Harry get married they can get me brothers and sisters, but I don't know what shop you have to get them from, I have asked when I went shopping with my nana but no one would tell me, they just kind of laughed and said I'd find out when I was older. But Papa and Daddy-Harry are older so they can ask. See you," Sevie ran off to the bedroom.

"That child has verbal diarrhoea," Snape commented, ignoring the looks being cast his way.

"Well you know what they say, from the mouths of babes." Harry said quietly.

It took over three hours to destroy the soul fragments, and all four adults were tired by the end, but much to Hermione and Snape's delight, all the artefacts of the founders were still intact.

"Before you sleep Mr Potter, drink this. If my suspicions are correct the final Horcrux resides within you, in your scar."

Hermione looked ill while Ron looked furious.

"Thank you, Snape." Harry took the potion, rolling the phial nervously in his hands; he knew he wouldn't be awake long after the potions master left. "When you say last one, I take it you managed to off Nagini?"

Snape's mouth twisted into the semblance of a smile, "I did, thank you, and it was everything I hoped. I took a potion to transform me into the exact replica of McNair's familiar, and used that form, that of a large dog, to rip the blasted thing to shreds, it was alive until the end, Tom and his minions rushed me. I got away, obviously, and then let the real animal out from where I had hidden it. McNair and his beast are gone too," Snape told him triumphantly.

"Nice work," Harry enthused. "So now we only have Tom to deal with. You should stay with us, Tom's bound to know something's up, and he'll figure out you are on our side."

"Very well, we will stay. You are correct it will likely be safer. And I know the Carrow's are not likely to be in school tonight, so the children are safe," Snape conceded.

"How do you know they aren't at school? Harry's been glued to the map every day for a week and before that he was always checking it, they've never left before," Ron asked, he was slowly warming to this version of his scary and most hated professor.

"I might have dropped a few hints in the right ears that they would be perfect in a particular undercover mission. The right ears became the right mouth to pass i_their_/i suggestion to Tom."

Hermione giggled, "That's really quite clever, now if they fail, you won't get blamed by association."

"They will fail I've seen to that," Snape said cryptically. "I had better check on Sevie he's far too quite."

Severus paused in the bedroom door way and surveyed the room. A soft smile graced his face.

The other three looked on, wisely not saying a word. Harry came to stand next to Snape to see what had caused such a reaction.

Sevie had obviously grown tired of drawing and climbed into the single bed along one of the walls, he was curled up under the blankets clutching a picture he'd drawn of Snape, Harry and himself.

"It seems my son has stolen your bed Potter," Snape said without looking back.

"Not at all, that's a spare bed, I sleep on the sofa. Newlyweds remember?"

Snape turned and looked at the couple in question, "Ah yes, I remember."

"The sofa pulls out into a good size double bed," Hermione informed him. "We're going to turn in, if you men folk are going off to war tomorrow you need some rest."

Ron sniggered causing everyone to look at him, "Sorry, but I never thought I'd see the day Hermione told Snape it was his bedtime."

Hermione blushed and looked mortified, Harry was doing his utmost not to laugh loudly and wake Sevie.

"Don't mind my wife Snape, she's getting some practice in for our own children," Ron lay a proud hand on Hermione's still flat tummy.

Snape nodded in understanding, "I will write down a special version of a calming draft it helps with mood swings and morning sickness while being safe for the baby."

"Thank you, I'd appreciate that a lot." Surprisingly it was Ron who said that earning him a slap from his giggling wife.

"Good night both," Harry waved as they entered their room and closed the door.

Harry turned back to the sofa and pressed a knot on the arm. The sofa started unfolding until it resembled a comfortable looking large double bed, it had a wooden frame and a handmade quilt spread over it.

"I promise I don't snore," Harry said trying to hide his nervousness. Not that Snape was fooled.

Harry and Snape transfigured their clothes into pyjamas and climbed into the comfortable, warm bed, Snape facing into the bed and Harry out of it, trying not to touch.

"Potter, Harry." Snape started. Harry turned over to face him.

"You never called me Harry before."

"I thought it fitting as we were in bed together." Snape deadpanned, causing Harry to grin. "Last week you made my son a promise, did you mean it?" Snape asked.

"I never make a promise unless I mean it, I've had too many people break their promises to me to want to do that to another person."

Snape nodded, he knew that feeling too, "Then, Harry, I'm asking. Will you marry me?"

To say that Harry was shocked was about as much of an understatement to say Voldemort was just a bit high-spirited.

Swallowing, Harry replied, "If I remember correctly, there was a condition on that promise."

"I meet it fully and completely," Snape assured him.

Harry scooted closer, "Then my answer is yes."

"Because of Sevie?" Snape asked his carefully constructed walls slowly came apart to reveal his insecurities.

"Because of his Papa, Sevie is just an added bonus," Harry assured him.

"Can I kiss you?" Snape asked tenderly.

"I think you'd better."

Snape leaned forward so only their lips were touching in a chaste but perfect first kiss.

When Snape pulled back, Harry sighed happily, and then giggled in a manly fashion.

"What?" Snape asked ready to bolt if he was being laughed at.

"You realise you're going to be Uncle Severus to Ron and Hermione's children, and by extension, all the next generation of Weasley's."

"Dear god, Uncle Severus to a hoard of red headed monsters. They bread like rabbits." Snape groaned.

"But Sevie will have lots of cousins to play with," Harry pointed out.

"Maybe some of those brothers and sisters Sevie wanted. We can't have Ronald beating you in the breading," Snape teased.

"Well we do have a secret weapon," Harry responded, tentatively reaching out and taking Snape' hand, entwining their fingers.

"Oh?"

"We can both carry, no waiting needed."

Snape couldn't help himself he kissed Harry again. "That would be acceptable."

Harry snuggled under the blankets still smiling happily.

"Good night Harry."

"Good night Severus." Harry knew that no matter what happened tomorrow, he had reasons to fight. Reasons to live, he'd live for Severus, for Sevie, the child Hermione was carrying, the children he and Severus would carry.

In short, he would fight for his family.


End file.
